1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for shipping, storing and displaying a plurality of items such as pre-wrapped reams of cut-sized paper. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container for shipping, storing and displaying a plurality of items such as pre-wrapped reams of cut-sized paper, wherein the container is adapted to remain sealed securely during shipping yet may be opened easily for point-of-sale display and purchase. According to one aspect of the present invention, and in addition to the foregoing features of a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, a container according to the present invention is sized to hold a limited number of wrapped reams of paper and has a carry handle for convenience in handling the container.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Cut-sized paper, such as conventional photocopy paper, typically is wrapped in reams containing, for example, 500 sheets. It is common for a plurality of reams to be bundled together and shipped in a corrugated container. For example, it is common for two stacks of five reams of paper to be placed in a side-by-side relationship within a conventional corrugated container base having high sidewalls. To keep the reams from falling out of the container base during shipping, it is known to place a lid over the container base, and to secure the lid to the base. Several containers are then stacked on top of one another during shipping. It is desirable therefore to provide a container suitable for shipping a plurality of items, wherein the container is stackable for easy shipping, handling, storing and display.
It is common practice for the stacks of reamed paper to stand taller than the container base sidewalls, and as a result, the lid actually rests upon the top of the stacks rather than on the upper ends of the container sidewalls. Because it is common for several containers to be stacked on top of one another during shipping, reams of paper packed in stacked containers as just described typically compress as air that was trapped between the individual sheets within the reams (during the wrapping process) is “squeezed” out. It is not uncommon, then, for the containers to be compressed as the stacks of reamed paper compress. That is, as the individual reams compress, it is not uncommon for the containers to become “less tall” by virtue of the fact that the container lid (which rests upon the top of the paper stacks) moves closer towards the container base. For this reason, paper suppliers prefer not to secure the lids directly to the container bases using an adhesive because the shear strength of typical hot melt adhesives cannot withstand the shear strain resulting from movement of the lid relative to the container base. In such situations, the lids become disassociated from the container bases, thereby permitting the reams of paper to spill out of the container. Free lids also become entangled in automated material handling equipment, thereby causing machine shut downs and shipping inefficiencies. It is desirable therefore to provide a container suitable for shipping a plurality of items, wherein the container is adapted to remain sealed during typical shipping, handling and storing operations.
For this reason, it has become common to utilize ancillary securing devices, such as straps and the like, rather than adhesive, to hold such container lids onto their respective bases. However, such devices do not always prevent the lids from becoming disassociated from the bases. For example, as the containers are compressed (for the reasons described above), the straps are loosened and are free to slip off of the container either partially or entirely, allowing the lids to become disassociated from the bases, resulting in product spillage and/or damage. In addition to the free lids (which may become entangled in material handling equipment), the free straps may likewise become entangled in the material handling equipment, resulting in machine shut downs and shipping inefficiencies. Operator safety is also reduced, as the free straps and free lids clutter the workspace. It is desirable therefore to provide a container suitable for shipping a plurality of items, wherein the container is adapted to remain sealed during typical shipping, handling and storing operations without the need to utilize ancillary securing devices such as straps, and the like.
Further conventional containers holding a plurality of reams of paper may exceed 50 pounds in weight, and as such, are relatively heavy for individuals for handle. For example, typical ream-wrapped containers hold ten reams of paper. Many home computer users prefer to purchase several reams of paper at once, rather than to buy single reams more frequently, but prefer not to buy as many as ten reams at once. However, even conventional multi-ream containers that have less than ten reams are heavy, and as such, are more suitable for industrial and commercial purchasers (which typically will have material handling equipment such as power lifts and hand carts to handle such heavy reams). Average home computer users, who wish to purchase several reams of paper at once, typically do not have access to such material handling equipment. It is desirable therefore to provide a container for wrapped reams of paper, wherein the container is adapted to remain sealed during shipping, handling and storing operations without the need to utilize ancillary securing devices such as straps, and the like, and wherein the container holds fewer reams of paper (as compared to conventional multi-ream containers) and therefore is lighter in weight than conventional containers and accordingly is easier to handle. In addition, it is desirable to provide an apparatus, such as a carry handle or the like, associated with the container to facilitate even easier handling thereof. A combination of a smaller multi-ream container together with a carry handle, for example, is ideally suited for retail sales to home computer users.